Head box



HEAD Box Filed Feb. e, 1957 Match 10, 1959 INVENToR.

United States Patent O F HEAD Box James J. Fusco, Glens Falls, N. Y.,assignor to The Sandy Hill Iron & Brass Works, Hudson Falls, N. Y., acorporation Application February 6, 1957, Serial No. 638,616

3 Claims. (Cl. 92--44) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in paper making machines and is `directed more particularlyto improvements in a head-box construction for such machines. .t

The principal objects of the invention are directed to the provision ofa novel head-box construction characterized by means to maintain apredetermined head, to obviate ilocculation, and to facilitate theforming of a sheet of a more uniform caliper.

According to specialI features of the invention, a predetermined head isautomatically maintained or controlled accordingly as the volume ofstock delivered thereto may uctuate due to the operation of the stocksupplying means, such as a pump or the like, while the level or headof-stock mayybe' varied depending on the characteristics of stock,velocity of discharge, and other variables.

To obviate flocculation and other objectionable conditions of operation,the head-box is formed for upward stock flow, with a relatively highstock pond, and with a flow of stock from the pond at intervals upwardlytherealong all without affecting the head. Stock flowing from the pondat intervals is returned or recirculated to the source of stock supply.

According to the novel arrangement of the head-box, stock flowsnpwardlytherein, and is discharged at its lower portion in the normal way.Automatic means associated with the lower portion of the head-boxprovides for a controlled flow of stock` from the head-box, accordinglyas the stock supply fluctuates from a predetermined volume, thereby tomaintain a predetermined head. Means spaced upwardly of the headboxprovides a controlled flow of stock from the headbox without affectingthe predetermined head. In this way, there is constant stock flowupwardly into and through the head-box and outwardly therefrom resultingin stock recirculation, without objectionably affecting stock dischargeor the head, and, at the same time, functioning for the formation of asheet of more uniform caliper, and overcoming ilocculation and otherobjectionable conditions.

While the novel features of the invention will be described in the format present preferred, in connection with the wire of a Fourdrinier papermachine, it will be understood that the head-box construction of theinvention may be used with various types of machines.

In the following description and claims, various details will beidentified by specific names for convenience. These names however areintended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the form of theapparatus, within the spirit and scope of the invention, to adapt theapparatus for various uses, and therefor it is desired to be limited, ifat all, by the appended claims, rather than the following descriptionand drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view, more or less dia- 2,876,684 PatentedMar. '10, 1959 ICC.

grammatic, of a head-box construction, embodying the novel features ofthe invention; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the headbox constructionshown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, the novel features of theinvention will be fully described.

The head-box construction 2 of the invention is generally formed byvertically extending rear and forward walls 4 and 6 respectively whichare connected at opposite vertical sides by end walls 8.

A lower slice member 10 extends forwardly from rthe forward wall and anapron 12 is disposed therebelow. An outer lip 14 of the slice isadjustable in the usual manner by threaded` jack screws, such as 16,which are connected at lower ends to the lip 14. The screws extendthrough brackets, such as 18, which are secured to the head-box.Manually engageable wheels or nuts 20 are engaged with the screws 16. Byrotating the nuts in one direction or the other, the lip 14 isadjustable to provide a predetermined outlet 22 for the discharge ofstock from the head-box. A breast-roll is represented by 24, which wouldnormally support the Fourdrinier wire of a paper machine.

The outlet 22 will be adjusted to discharge stock at a predeterminedvelocity to the wire where the head-box is used in connection with aFourdrinier machine, or as may be desired with other types of machines.

The head-box has a lower stock entrance portion. 28 and holy rolls 30,of well known form, may be provided for their usual function.

Stock may be delivered to` the entrance member 28 through any desiredinlet construction which will be adapted to accomplish uniform stockdistribution, longitudinally across the head-box. For illustrativepurposes, for the intake of stock, an opening is represented by 32.

The inlet construction, not shown, connected to the entrance member 28,will be connected to a stock supply adapted to provide, as near aspossible, a predetermined constant or uniform volume of stock, for aselected paper making operation. A portion 34 of the head-box rearwardlyof the outlet 22, may be termed a chamber.

It will be noted that the forward and rear walls 6 and 4 are shown asextending vertically upwardly from the chamber in a generally divergingrelation. The said walls are preferably arranged for a stock pond whichis of relatively greater height than transverse width from front toback.`

In this way, it is possible to obtain a desired predetermined head whichwill be maintained. according to the invention.

Stock flows vertically upwardly providing the vertical pond and isreturned or recirculated to the stock supply. To that end, a verticallyextending conduit 40 is provided which is connected to a return 41extending to the stock supply.

Headers 44, 46, 48 and 50, spaced vertically of the head-box, areprovided and extend longitudinally of or across the head-box. Saidheaders are connected at intervals therealong with the head-box by aplurality of connections 44', 46', 48 and 50.

The upper end 42 of conduit 40 is connected to the uppermost header 50,as shown. Headers 46 and 48 have connections 52 and 54 respectivelyextending to the vertical conduit 40, and said connections have valves52' and 54 respectively therein which, preferably, are manuallyoperable. The header 44 is connected to the return by 56 and has a valvetherein.

The valve 56 will be of the automatically operable type, and normallyopen, to some extent. This valve will be arranged to open and close tocontrol the outflow of stock from the head-box to conduit 40 accordingto such variations in the head of stock in the pond as may result fromslight uctuations or wanderings of the volume of stock as may occur, asstock is delivered from the stock supply to the lower end of thehead-box.

The valve 56 may be operated by a float in the headbox or by meansresponsive to the pressure of stock in the head-box. The valve beingnormally open, there is a ow of stock from the chamber or lower portionof the head-box. The valve will be such as to open on rise of the headand close as the head lowers so as to maintain the head constant. Thevalves 52' and 54' will be open for the How of stock from the head-boxto the conduit 40.

Thus there is a tlow of stock into and upwardly of the head-box. Stockis discharged from the outlet 22, but stock ows from the pond to theconduit through valve 56', and through valves 52 and 54', and throughthe upper connection 42, depending upon the level of stock.

The valves will be relatively adjusted for a desired predetermined headof stock and ow'of stoclf. from the head-box. With the upward ow ofstock, llocculation and other undesirable operating conditions areobviated. At the same time, there is eiiicient stock recirculation. Byreason of the plural connections from the head-box, such as 44', 46', 48and 56', there is a uniform distribution of fibers longitudinally oracrossthe head-box. Altogether it istpossible to form a sheet of moreuniform caliper and generally desirable characteristics, there being nopossibility of settling of fibers, bunching or clumping thereof, orother conditions which commonly unfavorably influence sheet formation.

While the apparatus has been shown more or less diagrammatically it willbe understood that it may be fabricated from secured togethercomponents, as may be convenient.

Various changes `and rnodihcationsl may be made in the form of theapparatus, without departing from the spirit 4 and scope of theinvention, it is desired therefor to be limited, if at all., by theappended claims, rather than by the foregoing description of theinvention.

It is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, the following:

l. Head-box and recirculation apparatus for paper making machinecomprising, elongated front and rear and opposite end walls arranged invertical relation providing an elongated vertically disposed head-box,lower ends of said walls formed to provide an inlet for stock andportions of the front wall thereabove extending forwardly to form anapron and a slice thereabove providing a stock outlet and a chamberrearward-ly thereof, an elongated conduit extending upwardly verticallyand rearwardly of said rear wall having a stock return at the lower endthereof, plurality of vertically spaced elongated hori zontally disposedheaders extending between said conduit and rear wall of the head-box, aconnection between the lowermost of' said headers and stock return,connections between said conduit and the headers above said lowermostheader, a plurality of horizontally spaced connections between each saidheader and the rear wall of said i head box, and means for controllingstock ow between References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,619,011 Sta-ege Nov. 25, 1952 2,688,277 Luebke Sept. 7, 19542,737,687 Bennett Mar. 6, 1956

